The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology

This is a wonderful meditation companion and history book rolled into one. Jack Kornfield compares and contrasts Buddhist and Western pyschology while giving a wealth of stories of meditations benefits and a guide to practice. I read several of Jack's previous books and always find his writing style easy and understandable. Probably not the best book for someone just starting their path of meditation, I'd recommend "A Path with Heart" for that, but this is a good book for someone with a few years of practice under their belt who wants to have a deeper understanding of their practice. Highly recommended.

This book is beautifully written and organized. It's an open, intelligent, and thoughtful integration between Buddhist wisdom and modern psychology. Actually, Jack explains some of the healthier aspects Buddhist thought. While not denying the existence of mental illness, his focus is more on mental health and how we can cultivate it as meditators. I particularly enjoy Jack's honesty about special experiences in meditation while keeping both feet on the ground of compassion and wisdom. As a meditator, I have sometimes been thrown by the smoke-and-mirrors vagueness around special experiences; I like knowing where they are on the map and how they relate (or don't) to the development of wisdom and compassion. This conveys that they are "no big deal" far more than the smoke and mirrors! I also like knowing that other people struggle with their "stuff" in meditation, and that keeping at it could lead to some freedom. I've heard teachers say that, but Jack's stories make it seem much more relevant and possible. I want to commend Jack for writing a book that is so interesting and enjoyable and that really makes sense to me! I hope it will be useful to others, as well.

Jack Kornfield richly expounds on 26 principles of Buddhist psychology. The first of these is: "See the inner nobility and beauty of all human beings" and the 26th being: "A peaceful heart gives birth to love. When love meets suffering it turns to compassion. When love meets suffering it turns to joy." Jack Kornfield provides the reader with a philosophical discussion of each principle and the basis of it in the Buddha's teachings. These principle are demonstrated with numerous cases from Jack Kornfield's many years of practice. Several of these are followed by practices and practical exercises, such as loving-kindness meditations. Buddhist teachings, which as the Dalai Lama describes as "a science of mind", have had a profound influence on modern cognitive behavioral psychotherapy. Neuroscience and evidence-based research increasingly validates the efficacy of Buddhist practices, such as mindfulness and forgiveness for mental health, happiness and well-being. This accessible guidebook will be of interest to any one who is interested not only in self-help, or clinical psychotherapy, but in better understanding the rich Buddhist traditions and ideas behind them.

This wonderful book makes the timeless teachings of Buddhist psychology explicable and accessible to all. With explanations and exercises that are not culture specific and with a healthy helping of Jack's great stories that further illuminate the psychological wisdom of the Buddha, this book opens the deep understandings of Buddhist thought for all to use for their own benefit and for the benefit of all beings. As the Dalai Lama says, "Buddhism isn't a religion. It is a science of mind" and IMHO, a science of mind that can help bring healing to our own lives and to our wounded world.